EP1135457B2 - Spot tablets - Google Patents

Abstract

Bull's-eye tablets in which both the shaped body per se and the lands surrounding the bull's-eye are mechanically stable and even lend themselves to production in modern high-throughput tablet presses and in which the core placed in the larger shaped body is joined to the tablet in a stable manner and does not separate from the tablet matrix during production, packaging, transportation and handling can be obtained if the contour line of the core falls from the edge zone to the lowest point and climbs back to the edge zone.

Description

The present invention relates to detergent tablets which permit an active ingredient separation and are designed as a special case of a core-shell-shaped body. In particular, the invention relates to moldings of detergents and cleaners as well as detergents and cleaners such as dishwashing tablets, detergent tablets, detergent tablets, bleach tablets, patch salts tablets, water softening tablets and toilet cleaning tablets.

Detergent tablets are broadly described in the art and are becoming increasingly popular with consumers because of their ease of metering, their low packaging cost, and their aesthetic characteristics. From the state of the art and everyday life, a variety of design options for such moldings are known, ranging from a variety of forms (angular, round, etc.) and colors up to multi-phase moldings. In particular, in order to release various active ingredients at different rates or to separate incompatible ingredients from one another, multilayer tablets ("two-phase tablets"), ring-core tablets or core-shell tablets have been established in the prior art. Dot-coated tablets are core-shell tablets in which the core is not enveloped in all spatial directions by the sheath, but is visible on the surface of the tablet.

The European patent application 055 100 (Jeyes Group ) describes, for example, toilet cleaning tablets in embodiments such as well tablets, core-coat tablets and ring-core tablets. This document generally describes several possible shapes and does not address specific geometries in the case of point tablets. The figures in this application show point tablets in which the visible core is flush with the tablet surface (Figures 1, 2 and 6), or trapezoidally protruding from it (Figures 10, 11 and 12). In all cases, the contour line of the underside of the core is configured either parallel to the bottom of the molded body or trapezoidally with a part parallel to the bottom of the molded body.

The European patent application 481 547 (Unilever) describes "multilayer" detergent tablets which are in the form of a ring-core tablet having at least three layers (inner, barrier and outer layer). Also in this document, which does not deal with point tablets, no statements are made on geometric parameters.

Merphasige or -schichtige washing and cleaning agent shaped bodies are for example in the European patent applications EP 481 792 (Unilever) EP 481 793 (Unilever) and the international patent application WO97 / 03177 (Benckiser).

Point tablets are not broadly described in the prior art, since there are special problems in their production. Thus, the outlay on equipment is great, since only a core pressed and then must be introduced by means of a transfer and centering device in a bed of premix, the compression of which delivers the point tablet. Compared to a conventional two-layer tablet, at least two tablet presses must therefore exist in a point tablet, since the core which is visible on the surface is smaller (and consequently requires a smaller die) than the tablet carrying the core. On the other hand, the core must be pre-compressed to a sufficiently stable shaped body to be moved by means of the transfer and centering can. As a result, the adhesion between the core and the supporting tablet is reduced and the core can in extreme cases detach from the tablet.

In the compression of particulate premixes to a point tablet, the premix to be compressed in the areas in which the core rests, loaded more than in the edge regions in which the surface of the supporting molded body is visible.

Especially with point tablets, the problem often arises here that the mechanical stability of the tablet is too low. Thus, it often happens that the web that surrounds the "point", breaks when retracting the top punch, or that the premix is more compacted under the moldings used and so this tablet area is later less soluble, which is particularly in washing and Detergents moldings can have extremely negative effects.

On the other hand, point tablets have advantages that make them particularly attractive for detergent tablets. In essence, special detergents and cleaning agents can be pre-pressed, which results in a separation of incompatible ingredients. Not to be neglected is also the aesthetic aspect, because point tablets have a high consumer acceptance due to their "fried egg structure".

It is an object of the present invention to provide a washing and cleaning agent shaped article which has the form of a point tablet and is nevertheless free of the disadvantages mentioned. In particular, both the molding itself and the webs that surround the point should be mechanically stable and can be produced on modern tablet presses with high throughputs. The "point", i. the molded body used in the larger shaped body should be stably connected to the tablet and not detach from the tablet matrix during production, packaging, transport and handling. In particular, the problems of poorer solubility of the areas of the "cladding" underlying the core should be solved.

It has now been found that the shape of the core to be used has a decisive influence on the solution of the above-mentioned problems.

The subject matter of the present invention is a washing and cleaning agent shaped article ("point tablet") according to claim 1.

Thus, according to the invention, the core inserted into the larger shaped body has no surface parallel to the underside of the tablet but opens into a lowest point. Rectangular cores or cores whose underside are designed trapezoidal, are therefore excluded according to the invention. In the context of the present invention, point tablets are particularly preferred in which the contour line of the core drops steadily from the edge region to the lowest point and steadily increases again up to the edge region. If one cuts through a shaped body according to the invention vertically, one sees in the simplest case two areas: the shaped body surrounding the core and the core. Starting from the edge area of the surface of the shaped body, which carries the core, one arrives at the first foot point of the core (point A), whose lowest point is designated as point X and whose second foot point as point B. The contour line AXB now drops on the section AX (preferably continuously) and rises on the section XB (preferably continuously). The lowest point X of the core is the point that is the least distant from the mold base.

In principle, it is thus possible to realize contour lines AXB which have the shape of triangles. Surprisingly, point tablets with such cores are superior in terms of the adhesion of the core and the solubility of the other regions of the shaped body (next to or below the core) conventional core shapes. Due to the mechanical instability of the triangle tip (correct: pyramid tip), however, contour lines AXB are preferred, which have curves. Preferred contour lines AXB are therefore semicircular or elliptical, wherein they should have no plateau, as this would be contrary to the condition of (preferably steady) rising or falling. This ensures that the remaining regions of the molded body (next to or below the core) have the greatest possible homogeneity with respect to the release behavior.

The above descriptions refer to the contour of the core used, which is later in the molding, ie on the underside of the core. The contour line of the core, which is virtually on the molding surface, does not have to follow the conditions of falling and rising or continuity and may for example be rectangular or round or elliptical. In particular, balls can be realized as a form for the core.

The dimension of the core inserted into the molding is advantageously chosen so that the "lands", i. the areas in which in vertical section only substance of the core enclosing shaped body is visible, are wide enough to ensure sufficient mechanical stability. Dot tablet, in which the ratio of the length of the core to the length of the shaped body is ≦ 0.9, preferably ≦ 0.85 and in particular ≦ 0.8, are preferred according to the invention. Analogous considerations also apply to the width of the shaped bodies, so that in preferred point tablets the ratio of the width of the core to the width of the shaped body is ≦ 0.9, preferably ≦ 0.85 and in particular ≦ 0.7.

The core projects out of the surface of the point tablets according to the invention by a certain amount. In this case, point tablets are preferred in which the height of the core, measured from the upper side of the molded body from which the core protrudes, is less than 30%, preferably less than 20% and in particular less than 10% of the molded body height, measured without a core.

In other words, point tablets are preferred according to the invention; in which the total height of the point tablet (including the core) is at most 1.3 times, preferably at most 1.2 times and in particular at most 1.1 times the height of the shaped body (measured without a core).

To define the width of the edge regions between the edge of the molding body and the beginning of the core protruding from the surface, the quotient of the width of the distance from the edge of the core to the edge of the molding ("web width") and the width of the molding can also be used. This quotient is called "relative web width" below.

The relative land width is a size that is independent of the geometry of the molding and the geometry of the core. In the case of a rectangular shaped body with a symmetrically arranged rectangular core, the web width is constant over the entire web; for a round or ellipsoidal core, the web width varies since the curvature of the core results in an increased distance from the molded body edge. In In these cases, the absolute web width is the smallest distance of the core edge to the edge of the molding. In the case of molded articles whose "points" (cores) have a different shape than the shaped body itself, the web width can have a different value in the case of longitudinal cuts through the shaped body than in the case of a cross section. This is easily possible in the context of the present invention, as long as the criteria listed below are met for each relative web width to be determined. For technical reasons, a limited number of ridge widths are always preferred because symmetrically arranged cores exert a much higher aesthetic appeal than asymmetrically arranged. Technically advantageous embodiments are, for example, round tablets with a concentrically arranged round core (a single land width), square shaped bodies with a round core, whose center is also in the center of the square (a land width), rectangular shaped body with a round core, which is arranged symmetrically (depending on the design one or two web widths).

The term "relative Stregbreite" is illustrated by a longitudinal section through the molded body, in which L for the length of the example rectangular shaped body, L2 for the length of the core, and L1 and L3 stand for the web widths. For symmetrically arranged cores, L1 and L3 are identical. The relative ridge width is the quotient of L1 and L or L3 and L. Analogous considerations apply to a cross section through, for example, the rectangular shaped body, i. the width B is different from the molded body length L. The web widths and relative web widths and the width of the trough are analogous to the longitudinal section. For determining the absolute web width, any length measure can be used, since the physical unit is divided out by the quotient formation and the relative widths are thus dimensionless.

In the context of the present invention, preferred point tablets have a relative web width of less than 0.4, preferably less than 0.3 and particularly preferably less than 0.25.

Depending on the absolute size of the molded body, the web width can vary. Usually, however, the relative web width is at least 0.005, preferably at least 0.01 and in particular at least 0.015. The rule here is that the smaller the shaped body per se, the larger the relative web width, in order to arrive at practicable and handling-proof web widths. The expert has no problems in the selection of the web widths, so that the minimum widths mentioned are to be understood as guidelines that can be varied within the scope of the present teaching.

Analogous to the definition of a relative web width, a relative kernel height can also be defined. Completely analogously, in the above example, H would stand for the total height of the shaped body and H1 for the height of the core (measured from the tablet surface, i.e. only the part which protrudes). The quotient of H1 and H is then called relative core height. It is preferred within the scope of the present invention (see above) that the relative core height be ≦ 0.3. Particularly preferred are detergent tablets in which the relative head height is less than 0.25, preferably less than 0.2 and in particular less than 0.1.

Preferred point tablets have a rectangular shape and have different relative web widths on longitudinal and cross-section.

It is also possible according to the invention that rectangular point tablets are produced in which the relative web widths on the longitudinal and cross section are identical.

In the case of the above-mentioned rectangular shaped bodies, the identical relative web width in longitudinal and cross section leads to the absolute web widths differing due to the differences between length and width. The only exception here are the shaped bodies with a square base surface as a special case of a rectangle, in which equal relative widths cause equal absolute widths. In the context of the present invention, the person skilled in the art can choose both the absolute and the relative web widths identical or different, depending on which aesthetic impression he prefers.

It is also possible in the context of the present invention without any problem that the point tablets have a circular shape.

Particularly attractive in the context of the present invention, the combination of the known from the prior art multi-layer principle with point tablets. It is possible and preferred according to the invention to produce a washing and cleaning agent shaped article from two or more layers which contains a core in the uppermost layer. In this way, the aesthetics can be further developed by the two layers are colored differently and the core has a third color. Point tablets, in which the shaped body carrying the core consists of two or more layers are therefore preferred according to the invention.

With regard to the ingredients of the individual regions of the molding body, the expert has no limits whatsoever. Due to the separation into moldings and core, wherein the moldings can still be divided into different layers, a sheer infinite variety of design options is conceivable.

Claims (10)

1. Detergent and cleaning product tablet (inlay tablet) of compressed particulate material, comprising a core surrounded by a shell, characterized in that the contour line of the core drops from the marginal region to the lowest point and climbs again to the marginal region, so that the core has no surface parallel with the tablet's bottom face, wherein the core protrudes from the tablet surface and has a circular shape in plan view.
2. Inlay tablet according to Claim 1, characterized in that the contour line of the core drops evenly from the marginal area to the lowest point and climbs again evenly to the marginal area.
3. Inlay tablet according to one of Claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the ratio of the length of the core to the length of the tablet is ≥ 0.9, preferably ≥ 0.85 and in particular ≥ 0.8.
4. Inlay tablet according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the ratio of the width of the core to the width of the tablet is ≥ 0.9, preferably ≥ 0.85 and in particular ≥ 0.8.
5. Inlay tablet according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the height of the core, measured from the top face of the tablet, from which the core protrudes, is less than 30%, preferably less than 20% and in particular less than 10% of the tablet height, measured without core.
6. Inlay tablet according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the relative land which is less than 0.4, preferably less than 0.3 and more preferably less than 0.25.
7. Inlay tablet according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the tablet has a rectangular shape and the relative land widths in longitudinal section and transverse section are different in magnitude.
8. Inlay tablet according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the tablet has a rectangular shape and the relative land widths in longitudinal section and transverse section are identical.
9. Inlay tablet according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the tablet has a circular shape.
10. Inlay tablet according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the tablet bearing the core is composed of two or more layers.